Monthly Archives: March 2013

“A failure of leadership has resulted in a bad decision on the flyover,” said Save the Basin campaign spokesperson Joanna Newman today.

“The city needed a clear decision from councillors as to whether they support the flyover or not. Instead, councillors narrowly voted to effectively say nothing on the subject.

“We’re disappointed that the Council has made this decision,” said Ms. Newman. “The proposed flyover would be an ugly, unnecessary and ineffective blot on our city and on the beautiful Basin Reserve.

“Councillors should have stood by their previous decision to prefer a tunnel to a flyover, and we appreciate the work of the councillors who continue to support this stance.

“We are concerned that pressure from NZTA had a significant impact on the vote. A government department should not be exerting this kind of influence on democratically elected officials,” said Ms. Newman.

Ms. Newman said that the Save the Basin Campaign had noticed a considerable increase in public support over the past few weeks. “In the period leading up to the recent England-New Zealand test at the Basin, we have been getting a lot of new people offering support and help. Cricket fans, sport journalists in both New Zealand and the UK, local residents, and Wellingtonians who want a modern, liveable city, not a 1960s concrete jungle designed for the needs of cars and trucks rather than people, have all been telling us that a Basin flyover must not go ahead.”

“There are a number of viable alternatives to the flyover on the table and it is important that these are considered when a hearing takes place on the proposal. The Council’s decision to concentrate only on mitigation is particularly disappointing,” said Ms. Newman.

It is expected that the New Zealand Transport Agency will soon initiate a process leading to the Basin flyover proposal going before an EPA Board of Inquiry or Environment Court hearing.

“Save the Basin is concerned that politically appointed judges and hearing commissioners may rubber stamp this proposal. The campaign will continue to vigorously oppose the flyover,” said Ms. Newman.

In December, by a margin of 8-7, Wellington City Councillors voted to oppose a Basin Reserve flyover and investigate alternatives. On Thursday the 21st, the Council votes again on its flyover stance, and we want those eight Councillors to stand strong and continue to oppose a Basin Reserve flyover – starting with Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and Transport Portfolio Leader Andy Foster.

Between now and Wednesday, it’s time to remind these eight Councillors of their previous anti-flyover stance, tell them again why a Basin Reserve Flyover would be such a bad idea, and urge them to continue their anti-flyover stance in Thursday’s vote.

Otherwise, we risk the Council effectively siding with NZTA in future consent hearings. That’s exactly what Kapiti Coast District Council did in the Kapiti Expressway hearings, and it proved to be a disastrous mistake for Kapiti Mayor Jenny Rowan, her fellow Councillors and their community.

1) Who to Contact

Please email these Councillors. If you have time to send individual emails to each Councillor, especially Celia and Andy, that would be great – otherwise, a group email is fine.

People often get hung up on what to say in such emails. But there’s no need to be hung up: all you need to say is that you oppose a Basin Reserve flyover and that you want the Council to keep opposing it, too, including in hearings on the proposal. The simpler and more straightforward your message is, the better. While remaining polite, you should leave Celia, Andy and their fellow Councillors in no doubt what you mean.

But if you need some arguments, check out the articles below, and then two simple, effective emails to Councillors that their authors have kindly agreed us to post.

Dear Celia, etc
I want to make clear to you as a Mt Victoria resident of 54 years my
very strong opposition to the proposed flyover around the Basin
Reserve. It sickens me that as Wellingtonians we have to fight so hard
to be heard about what is important to us regarding the city scape. I
joined Wellington Waterfront Watch who represent the local people
about the preservation of the beautiful features of that valuable
asset, Wellington’s waterfront. And now I have joined Save the Basin
Campaign for exactly the same reason, to protect our assets. In this
case, that oasis between the city and the eastern and southern
suburbs, the Basin Reserve.

It is very wearing to be continually
having to defend the beautiful and priceless features of Wellington
that we hold dear from groups that are only thinking about short-term
gain in the form of dollars. There are other ways to improve the
infrastructure of the city, including sensible roading around the
Basin that does not include a flyover. Personally as far as traffic
build up in the area is concerned those of us who live in Ellice
Street don’t believe a flyover will ease this at all but simply move
the congestion and make it more visible. Please listen to the people
and stick up for the people. A flyover does not fit this area. It’s
for LA.

From Patrick Morgan:

Dear Councillors,

I joined 18,000 cricket fans this weekend at the Basin. Superb, world-class facility. Like the green belt, it’s an asset we are custodians of for future generations.

I would like my children’s children to have the opportunity to hear the sounds of leather on willow on a summer’s day at the Basin.

I’m writing this on the first morning of the Test between England and New Zealand at the Basin Reserve. The ground is as full as I’ve seen it for many years, Billy the Barmy Army trumpeter is in good form, and an intriguing Test is underway.

But for how many more years will we be able to enjoy Test cricket at the Basin? The Basin Reserve Trust has stated that the ground is under threat from the 9-metre-high, 380-metre long flyover the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) wants to build right past the northern entrance to the ground. There are realistic alternatives to building a flyover, but with its distinctive mixture of 1960s transport thinking and blind arrogance, the NZTA plans to press ahead.

And we plan to stop them. Here’s how you can help:

Donate. The NZTA has lots of money. We need lots as well, for both publicity materials and potential legal action. Please help us out!

Tell the New Zealand Government to abandon the flyover project. New Zealand Governments often listen more to overseas visitors than to their own citizens – please email the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, John Key, and tell him that a flyover outside the Basin gates is a terrible idea.

Tell Wellington City Councillors to continue their opposition to the proposed flyover. An important vote is coming up on 21 March. Please email these councillors and urge them to continue their opposition to a Basin flyover:

Last week, the Wellington City Council officers charged with investigating alternatives to the Flyover delivered their report – and it didn’t make good reading. The report was a rushed and hasty dismissal of alternatives to a Basin Reserve flyover; though to be fair to the officials, the rush was in large part the result of the very tight timetable imposed by NZTA.

True to its tradition of investigative reporting, Wellington Scoop hasn’t taken the report at face value – and they’ve found out some very interesting things as the result of their digging. Check out their reports here:

The Wellington City Council meets to consider the officials’ report on 21 March.

In other news, we’re disappointed to hear that, despite the exhaustively-researched, well argued case put up by Save Kapiti and other groups, the EPA’s latest Board of Inquiry has approved another disruptive motorway project, the Kapiti Expressway. But there is more than one way to skin a cat, and Save Kapiti certainly don’t intend to give up the struggle. Check the Save Kapiti website for the latest information.